| Popis: |
Background: Observed COVID-19 cases and deaths are frequently used as independent factors to justify the use or de-escalation of non-pharmaceutical interventions. To investigate and describe the temporal relationship between changes in epidemic curves for COVID-19 cases and deaths, a longitudinal analysis of these metrics was performed for 16 states in the United States and three countries.Results: The analysis performed demonstrates a considerable, consistent lag between a surge in COVID-19 cases and the subsequent rise in attributable deaths, with approximately a month-long lag observed.Conclusions: The time lag identified must be incorporated in health emergency decision making in order to avoid the pre-mature de-escalation of disease mitigation measures. |
